Sprint kayaking is prominent in Europe with training methods devised and adopted from Eastern bloc training systems. There is a lack of published research on sprint kayaking locally and internationally. Consequently, the aims of this research directly address establishing a relationship between kayak specific training and the Profile of Mood States (POMS); monitoring training duration and intensity and establish a link with the POMS and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE); to monitor the general wellness of the kayakers. Seven elite sprint kayakers (two male, five female) with the following characteristics: age 26.5 (1.4) years, training experience 8.4 (3.7) years were part of the South African national sprint kayaking squad selected to participate in this study, based on their preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (one male athlete did not qualify but continued to train). The females trained for the 500m K1, K2 and K4 events and the male for the 1000m K1. Three training camps (TC1, TC2, TC3) were held from 12 November to 09 December 2007, 25 February to 22 March 2008 and 14 July to 04 August 2008. RPE (Borg Scale) was recorded for each session. The 65-item POMS was completed twice a week, after half a days rest (Wednesday) and after a day and half rest (Sunday). Daily training load was calculated from RPE and session time; and an energy index calculated from the POMS vigour and fatigue scores. The Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey recorded illness and injury. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics, Friedman’s rank test for k correlated samples, The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, Spearman rank-order correlations were used to analyse the data. Statistical significance was calculated at 5% (p=0.05) and 10% (p=0.1). The results showed higher vigour scores associated with lower RPE and low training load; and high RPE associated with higher anger, confusion, depression, fatigue and total mood disturbance scores. There was a relationship between increasing POMS scores and duration of the training camps. The POMS findings could not completely explain the relationship found between RPE and duration of the training camps. The energy index was higher pre-camp and the extended rest periods during the camps. The findings for the POMS and RPE suggested that a state of overreaching might have occurred during the camps. Monitoring of the kayakers for an extended period after the training camps would have been useful to determine whether any of these individuals became over-trained. In accordance with Kentta et al (2006), regular use of the POMS may help detect under recovery, preventing staleness and unwanted rest for extended periods. Future studies will enable a retrospective view on these results. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

La performance en canoë-kayak de vitesse a été associée à la consommation maximale d'O2 (VO2max), au seuil lactate, ainsi qu'à l'aptitude anaérobie et à des qualités musculaires. Or, les particularités physiologiques du canoë-kayak de vitesse suggèrent que la composante périphérique du système aérobie, et plus particulièrement la capacité d'extraction d'O2 musculaire, serait un déterminant important de la performance. Une bonne compréhension des déterminants physiologiques de la performance est cruciale pour que les programmes d'entraînement et les tests utilisés pour le suivi des adaptations à l'entraînement chez les athlètes soient appropriés. Avec l'avènement d'appareils de spectroscopie dans le proche infrarouge portables et abordables, il est maintenant possible de mesurer les changements d'oxygénation musculaire (SmO2) de différents muscles actifs à l'effort. Ainsi, les objectifs des quatre articles inclus dans cette thèse étaient de caractériser les changements d'oxygénation musculaire à l'effort et en réponse à différents types d'entraînement afin de mieux comprendre le rôle des adaptations périphériques dans la performance en canoë-kayak de vitesse et d'explorer l'effet de différents types d'entraînement sur ces paramètres physiologiques et sur la performance. L'étude 1, examinant l'association entre les paramètres d'oxygénation musculaire et la performance au 200 m, 500 m et 1000 m, permet de conclure que l'extraction maximale d'O2 dans les muscles étudiés est le meilleur prédicteur de performance sur les trois distances, et suggère que l'extraction d'O2 est un meilleur prédicteur de performance que le VO2max en canoë-kayak de vitesse. Dans l'étude 2, l'évaluation de la réponse physiologique aiguë à diverses séances d'entraînement par intervalles indique que les séances d'entraînement par intervalles de sprint (SIT), comparativement aux séances d'entraînement par intervalles courts (HIIT), permettent d'induire les niveaux de SmO2 les plus faibles et d'accumuler le plus de temps à SmO2 faible, ce qui en ferait potentiellement un stimulus de choix pour générer des adaptations de la capacité d'extraction d'O2 musculaire. L'étude 3 visait à évaluer les changements d'oxygénation musculaire en réponse à un camp d'entraînement chez des athlètes élites, pour évaluer si l'entraînement actuellement prescrit chez les kayakistes suscite des adaptations périphériques. Suite au camp d'entraînement, l'amélioration de la performance sur 200 m et 1000 m était concomitante à une SmO2 réduite, suggérant une amélioration de la capacité d'extraction d'O2 chez les athlètes. Finalement, dans la dernière étude de cette thèse, l'effet d'un programme de SIT ou de HIIT sur les paramètres d'oxygénation musculaire et sur la performance au 200 m, 500 m et 1000 m a été mesuré, afin d'évaluer si les séances générant des niveaux de SmO2 faibles et soutenus présentaient un stimulus optimal pour l'amélioration de la capacité d'extraction d'O2. Le HIIT a permis d'améliorer la performance dans les trois contre-la-montre, alors que l'amélioration de performance était non significative après le SIT. Le VO2max était inchangé suite à l'entraînement, mais la désoxygénation maximale atteinte dans le contre-la-montre de 1000 m était accrue en réponse aux deux formes d'entraînement. Au 1000 m, l'amélioration de la performance avec l'entraînement était associée à l'augmentation de la désoxygénation maximale atteinte dans les muscles grand dorsal et vaste externe, spécialement dans le groupe HIIT. Alors que ces résultats ne supportent pas l'hypothèse que le SIT serait un meilleur stimulus pour générer des adaptations périphériques comparativement au HIIT, ils mettent en évidence la contribution des adaptations périphériques à la performance en kayak de vitesse. Ainsi, les résultats présentés dans cette thèse permettent une meilleure compréhension de la demande physiologique du canoë-kayak de vitesse et attestent du rôle des adaptations périphériques du système aérobie, et plus particulièrement de la capacité d'extraction d'O2 musculaire, comme déterminant physiologique de la performance. Ils permettent de confirmer que l'entraînement est associé à une augmentation de la capacité d'extraction d'O2, et que cette dernière est associée à l'augmentation de la performance. Devant ces résultats, il devient évident que l'entraînement des athlètes de canoë-kayak de vitesse devrait, entre autres, viser une optimisation des adaptations périphériques. La mesure des changements d'oxygénation musculaire à l'effort lors de tests, de séances d'entraînement et de contre-la-montre peut fournir une information précieuse sur le profil de l'athlète, permettre d'identifier les composantes physiologiques à optimiser chez l'athlète et d'évaluer sa réponse au programme d'entraînement, et serait un outil pertinent à ajouter au suivi effectué auprès des athlètes de canoë-kayak / Performance in sprint canoe-kayak has been associated with maximal O2 uptake (VO2max), lactate threshold, as well as anaerobic fitness and muscle qualities. However, the physiological peculiarities of sprint canoe-kayak suggest that the peripheral component of the aerobic system, and more precisely the muscle O2 extraction capacity, is an important determinant of performance. A good understanding of the key performance indicators is crucial to validate training programs and tests used to monitor training adaptations in athletes. With the advent of portable and affordable near infrared spectroscopy devices, it is now possible to measure changes in muscle oxygenation (SmO2) in different active muscles during exercise. Thus, the goals of the four articles included in this thesis were to characterize the changes in muscle oxygenation during exercise and in response to different types of training in order to better understand the role of peripheral adaptations in sprint canoe-kayak performance and explore the effect of different types of training on these physiological parameters and on performance. Study 1, examining the association between muscle oxygenation parameters and 200m, 500m and 1000m performance in provincial to international level canoe-kayak athletes, concludes that maximal O2 extraction in the muscles studied is the best predictor of performance over all three distances, and suggests that O2 extraction is a better predictor of performance than VO2max in sprint canoe-kayak. In Study 2, the evaluation of the acute physiological response to various interval training sessions indicated that sprint interval training (SIT), compared to short interval training (HIIT), induces the lowest SmO2 levels and cumulates the longest time at low SmO2, potentially making it a stimulus of choice to generate muscle O2 extraction adaptations, and therefore improve performance in sprint canoe-kayak. Study 3 assessed changes in muscle oxygenation in response to a 3-week training camp in a group of elite athletes, to assess whether the training usually prescribed to kayakers elicits peripheral adaptations. After the training camp, the improvement in performance over 200m and 1000m was concomitant with reduced SmO2, suggesting an improvement in O2 extraction capacity. Finally, in the last study of this thesis, the effect of a SIT or HIIT program on muscle oxygenation parameters and on performance over 200m, 500m and 1000m was measured, in order to assess whether sessions generating low and sustained levels of SmO2 present an optimal stimulus for improving O2 extraction capacity. HIIT improved performance in all three time trials, while performance improvements were trivial after SIT. VO2max was unchanged after training, but the maximum deoxygenation achieved in the 1000m time trial was increased in response to both training types. In the 1000m, the increase in performance with training was associated with the increase in maximal deoxygenation in the latissimus dorsi and vastus lateralis muscles, especially in the HIIT group. While these results do not support the hypothesis that SIT would be a better stimulus than HIIT to induce peripheral adaptations, they do highlight the important contribution of peripheral adaptations to sprint kayaking performance. Thus, the results presented in this thesis allow for a better understanding of the physiological demand of sprint canoe-kayak and attest to the role of peripheral adaptations, and more specifically of the muscle O2 extraction capacity, as a physiological determinant of performance. They confirm that training is associated with increased O2 extraction capacity, and that the latter is associated with increased performance. Given these results, it becomes clear that the training of sprint canoe-kayak athletes should aim at optimizing peripheral adaptations. Measuring changes in muscle oxygenation during exercise during tests, training sessions and time trials can provide valuable information on the athlete's profile, help identify the physiological components to be optimized and assess the athlete's response to the training program, and would be a valuable tool to add to the monitoring performed with canoe-kayak athletes.

Las características antropométricas, del material de competición y la evolución de las variables cinemáticas (velocidad, frecuencia, longitud e índice de ciclo) sobre las distancias de 200 y 500 m, se valoraron en un total de 131 piragüistas de 13 y 14 años (hombres kayakistas, mujeres kayakistas y hombres canoistas, agrupados por edad). En la mayoría de las medidas antropométricas, los hombres kayakistas de 14 años fueron superiores al resto de categorías, no encontrándose diferencias entre los grupos de mujeres. La evolución de las variables cinemáticas fue similar en las diferentes categorías y distancias, con una tendencia decreciente de la velocidad y del índice de ciclo a partir de los primeros 50 m, una estabilización de la longitud de ciclo a partir de esta distancia y una disminución progresiva de la frecuencia de ciclo desde el inicio de la prueba. / The anthropometric characteristics, set-up of competition equipment and evolution of the kinematic variables (speed, cycle frequency, cycle length and cycle index) over distances of 200- and 500-m were analysed in 131 paddlers (male kayakers, women kayakers and male canoeists; 13-14 years-old). In most of the anthropometric measurements, 14 year-old male kayakers were higher than other groups; no differences were found between female groups. The evolution of the kinematic variables was similar in the different categories and distances. The speed and cycle index decreased through the test after the first 50 m, while the cycle length was stable. The cycle frequency had a progressive decrease along the distance

Inom kanotsporten är synkronisering av paddeltag i en kanot med fler än en kanotist väldigt viktig för att uppnå en så hög hastighet som möjligt. Hans Rosdahl från Gymnastik- och Idrottshögskolan har därför gett i uppdrag att utveckla en mobilapplikation som ger respons till kanotisten som använder applikationen om dennes paddeltag är synkroniserad med frontkanotisten. En förstudie har därför utförts för att bland annat undersöka de olika sensoralternativen som fanns tillgängliga och en applikation inom operativsystemet Android har utvecklats. Applikationen ansluter sig till IMU-sensorer, Intertial Measurement Unit, som sitter på varje paddel och som mäter tröghetskrafterna för att bestämma orientering av sensorn. Applikationen tar emot IMU-data från sensorerna som sitter på användarkanotistens och frontkanotistens paddlar och varje sensor avgör när ett paddeltag har utförts genom orienteringen på sensorn. Denna sensordata som visar ett utfört paddeltag används för att beräkna tidsskillnaden är på paddeltagen från båda kanotister. När tidsskillnaden har räknats ut får användaren visuell respons på mobilskärmen om denne är synkroniserad med frontkanotisten eller inte och på vilken nivå synkroniseringen ligger. / Synchronisation of paddle stroke is an important aspect within the sports of paddling with multiple paddles in one boat to maximise the velocity. Hans Rosdahl from The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH, therefore provided a task to develop a mobile phone application that offers feedback to the paddlers using the application if their paddle stroke is synchronised with the paddler in front. A pre-study has been carried out to investigate possible sensor alternatives that are available, and an application has been developed for the mobile operative system Android. The application connects to an IMU, Inertial Measurement Unit, sensor that measures inertia to determine the orientation of the sensor node. The application receives sensor data from the IMU from the user paddler’s and the front paddler’s sensor nodes and each sensor determines when a paddle stroke has occurred using its orientation. The data showing a stroke is used to calculate the time difference between these strokes to evaluate if the user is synchronised with the front paddler or not. After this evaluation, the user receives a visual response of their synchronisation level on their screen.

A kayak is a small watercraft that moves over the water. The kayak is propelled by a person sitting inside of the hull and paddling using a double-bladed paddle. While kayaking can be casual, it is used as a competitive sport in races and even the Olympic games. Therefore, it is important to be able to analyse athletes’ performance during the race. To study the race better, some kayaking teams and organizations have attached sensors to their kayaks. These sensors record various data, which is later used to generate performance reports. However, to generate such reports, the coach must manually pinpoint the beginning of the race because the sensors collect data before the actual race begins, which may include practice runs, warming-up sessions, or just standing and waiting position. The identification of the race start and the race sequence in the data is tedious and time-consuming work and could be automated. This project proposes an approach to identify kayak races from velocity signal data with the help of a machine learning algorithm. The proposed approach is a combination of several techniques: signal preprocessing, a machine learning algorithm, and a programmatic approach. Three machine learning algorithms were evaluated to detect the race sequence, which are Support Vector Machine (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbour (kNN), and Random Forest (RF). SVM outperformed other algorithms with an accuracy of 95%. Programmatic approach was proposed to identify the start time of the race. The average error of the proposed approach is 0.24 seconds. The proposed approach was utilized in the implemented web-based application with a user interface for coaches to automatically detect the beginning of a kayak race and race signal sequence.

Title: Canoeing in the Czech Republic 2004 - 2013. Objectives: The aim of the thesis has been to draw up the history of the Czech canoeing between 2004 and 2013. Methods: Standard methods have been used in the thesis, especially the chronological method. The actual gaining of materials has been achieved through a combination of the direct, indirect and progressive methods. Results: The content of this work deals with the organizational and competition activities of canoeists in the Czech Republic in the given period. Keywords: Kayak, canoe, canoe sprint,canoe slalom, wildwatercanoeing, Czech Canoe Union, International Canoe Federation, European Canoe Association, history.

The paper elaborates the history of "LOKOMOTIVA Nymburk" canoe sprint squad and is sectioned into:  between wars period  the war years 1938 - 1945  1945 - 1970  1970 - 2000  2000 - present The paper also elaborates a general origin of canoeing in Bohemia, brief 80-year history of the nearest competitor (and friend) - "Canoe Sprint Squad Poděbrady" and the history of dragon boats in Nymburk city. The history, the development and the present state of particular categories at "Lokomotiva Nymburk" and "Canoe Sprint Squad Poděbrady" is also elaborated. The categories are "scholar", "youth" and "junior". Keywords Canoe Sprint History Canoe Kayak Shipyard Races Championship Grand Prix Medal Ranking Season Training Camp DragonBoats

Aujourd’hui massivement pratiqués, les « sports et loisirs de nature » sont traversés par des tensions majeures à l’œuvre dans nos sociétés. Comment sont-ils remodelés par l’écologisation des sociétés, analysée ici comme un processus à la fois cognitif, normatif et politique ? Cette problématique est traitée à partir d’usages différents par leur histoire, leurs publics et leurs techniques (chasses anciennes, kayak de mer, chasse sous-marine et chasse à l’arc) mais travaillés par des processus analogues (naturalisation des espaces, sportivisation des usages) dans deux « hauts lieux de nature » en partie protégés, le bassin d’Arcachon et les Calanques de Marseille. Pour l’analyse de tels processus socio-environnementaux, nous avons opté pour une démarche pragmatiste, en retenant notamment les concepts-clés d’expérience, de trouble, d’enquête et de prise. La thèse défendue prend à contrepied le consensus écologique apparent : lorsqu’on les observe « en action », les normalisations écologiques actuelles créent davantage de tensions et de clivages au sein des collectifs d’usagers qu’elles ne les fédèrent. En situations de co-présence au quotidien, les usagers inscrits dans d’autres mondes sociaux que ceux de l’écologie et contrariés dans leurs « passions cognitives » se montrent ambivalents envers les normalisations écologiques. Ils sont partagés entre l'impératif social d’adhésion à l’exemplarité écologique et le rejet de ses appuis normatifs, individualisants et experts (« impact », « écocompatibilité » «écoresponsabilité »). Ces appuis normatifs sont particulièrement présents dans les espaces protégés (parc national des Calanques, réserve naturelle sur le bassin d’Arcachon), où l’écologisation est portée par des acteurs mandatés, les normes sont légales ou réglementaires et traduites en dispositifs de gestion. C’est seulement en tant qu’experts que certains usagers et porte-parole peuvent se faire entendre, sans que ne changent véritablement ni le collectif des participants, ni les manières de formuler les enjeux et les réponses à apporter. Au plan théorique, ces résultats interrogent certaines propositions du pragmatisme. D’un point de vue plus politique, ils nous amènent également à discuter les appuis normatifs des écologisations contemporaines. / More and more practiced, “nature sports and leisure” are affected by strong tensions of our societies. How ecologisation of societies – a cognitive, normative and political process – redefines them? This issue is addressed on the basis of various uses (traditional hunting, sea kayaking, submarine fishing, bowhunting) all affected by similar processes (naturalization of places, sportivisation of activities) in two major “places of nature” partly protected, the Arcachon bay and the creeks of Marseille. To analyse these socio-environmental processes, we have chosen a pragmatist approach, particularly with the key-concepts of experience, trouble, inquiry and “prise”. Our thesis refutes the apparent ecological consensus: when they are observed “in actions”, ecological normalisations create more tensions and splits between users than they federate them. In everyday life situations of co-presence, the users aloofs towards ecology - who belong to others social spheres and annoyed in their “cognitive passions” - are ambivalents towards ecological normalisations. They are torn between the social imperative of being ecologically exemplary and the refusal of the individual and expert machinery (“impact”, “ecocompatibility”, “ecoresponsability”) of this process. These norms are particularly strong in the protected areas (national park of Creeks, nature reserve of the Arcachon bay), where mandated actors support ecologisation and legal norms or rules are included in management devices. So it is only as experts that some users and spokesmen can be heard without real changes in the group of participants, nor the framing of the issues and decision-making. At a theoretical level, these results question some assumptions of pragmatism. From a more political point of view, they lead to discuss the normative machinery of contemporary ecologisations.

Kayaking is a watersport activity that involves paddling performed within leisure purposes. Although kayaking provides pleasure to the practitioners, there are some adverse environmental issues concerning the site used to perform kayaking due to the equipment. This paper identifies and analyzes the lifecycle stages in which negative environmental impacts are generated. Melker of Sweden is an outdoor company specialized in delivering high-quality kayaks. This study aims to present an overview of the current environmental performance of Melker of Sweden’s kayaks. For this purpose, two environmental assessment tools are applied: material flow analysis and life cycle assessment. The Material Flow Analysis (MFA) results show that the transport of material to the manufacturing unit generates a considerable amount of emissions. Additionally, hull manufacturing and assembling accessories were found to be the least resource-efficient operation among all. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results identify the transport of material and the manufacturing phase as the primary sources responsible for environmental impacts. On the one hand, the use of epoxy resin and gel coat is the root cause of high contribution of the manufacturing phase. On the other hand, the use of flax fiber found to be the least contributing material to adverse environmental impacts. This report also presents a list of recommendations regarding the import of material, the efficacy of the manufacturing operations, the type of raw material, and waste treatment alternatives. / Fysisk aktivitet kan innefatta olika fritidsaktiviteter, däribland friluftsliv. Kajakpaddling är en sådan friluftslivaktivitet, alltefter utövares syfte. I denna rapport är kajakpaddling en fritidsaktivitet där där utövarens naturupplevelse främjas. Oaktat fördelarna vid utövandet av denna aktivitet kan ej förbises faktum att det också kan medföras vissa negativa konsekvenser. Denna masteruppsats har som mål att identifiera och analysera den miljöpåverkan och dennes efterspel som orsakats av en kajaks tillverkning. Melker of Sweden är ett utomhusföretag specialiserat på att leverera kajaker av hög kvalitet. I linje med företagets vision syftar denna studie till att undersöka den nuvarande miljöprestandan samt kvantifiera den potentiella miljöpåverkan från en kajaks livscykel. För detta ändamål tillämpas det två miljöbedömningsverktyg, nämligen en materialflödesanalys och livscykelanalys. Materialflödesanalysen visar att mängden av utsläpp som genereras från transporten av material till tillverkningsenheten är enorm. Utöver detta var den hulltillverkning samt den montering av tillbehörsverksamheter bland de minst resurseffektiva tillverkningssteg. Livscykelanalysen identifierar import av material och tillverkningsfas som de viktigaste källorna till miljöpåverkan. Å ena sidan är användningen av epoxiharts och gelbeläggning i tillverkningen grundorsaken till huvudbidraget. Å andra sidan är användningen av linfiber det minst bidragande material då det gäller negativa miljöeffekter. I denna studie ges rekommendationer rörande import av vissa material och materialval, sätt att öka tillverkningseffektiviteten, typ av råmaterial samt avfallsbehandlingsalternativ.